Donald Trump on Monday named son-in-law Jared Kushner as senior White House advisor, rewarding the man widely credited as the brains behind his election but courting serious legal and ethical concerns.
The baby-faced real estate developer and magazine publisher who turns 36 on Tuesday, will be the youngest top member of the administration, working closely with chief of staff Reince Priebus and chief strategist Steve Bannon.
“Jared has been a tremendous asset and trusted advisor throughout the campaign and transition and I am proud to have him in a key leadership role in my administration,” announced the Republican president-elect.
The appointment was announced two days before Trump is set to give his first news conference since the November election, in which he will detail plans for his own company and potential conflicts of interest while in the White House.
Kushner, who is married to Trump’s eldest daughter Ivanka, was credited with masterminding a data-driven campaign that focused on message tailoring and harnessing social media to an unprecedented extent.
The transition said that Kushner, whom Forbes estimates is worth $1.8 billion with his parents and brother, will forego his salary while serving in the administration.
The announcement made no direct reference to nepotism laws or other potential conflicts of interest for which Kushner has hired a legal team.
A federal law, passed after then-president John F. Kennedy appointed his brother as attorney general, prohibits any president from hiring a relative.
Kushner, his wife and three children have also reportedly settled on a home in the same upscale Washington neighborhood where outgoing President Barack Obama will live as his youngest daughter finishes high school.
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